AWWA Water Science Author Spotlight

Abstract

Having recently published an article in AWWA Water Science, Victoria Nystrom answered questions from the publication's editor-in-chief, Kenneth L. Mercer, about the research. Seasonal Impacts on Biofiltration Acclimation Dynamics and Performance Victoria E. Nystrom, Ashley N. Evans, Jason T. Carter, and Ben Kuhnel Victoria Nystrom collects water samples from a biofilter as part of an ozone and biofilter pilot study that was conducted for the US Army Corps of Engineers in Washington, D.C. Victoria and Arcadis coworker Nissim Gore-Datar explore the parks and downtown Austin, Texas. I am thankful to have had many mentors in my life between undergraduate school, graduate school, and my current company, Arcadis. One mentor who stands out is Dr. Kelsey Pieper. I got connected with her when I began undergraduate research in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. Through the years, I worked under her and then alongside her. She transitioned from being my superior in the field; to getting me connected with my advisor and being a member on my advisory committee; and to being a friend, colleague, and continuous mentor. Without her support, technical expertise, and humor, I would not be where I am in my career today. At the time this study was conducted, there were two broad objectives of the research: (1) understand the importance of monitoring biofilter acclimation and (2) fill the larger knowledge gap in the industry around the use of biofiltration and the benefits and challenges associated with this type of treatment. There was a unique opportunity with the City of Denton [Texas] to monitor the acclimation of biofilters and understand the duration of this process as their approach was to bring half the biofilters on line in the winter and the remaining half on line in the summer. With this research and other studies that have been completed to date, we've been able to recognize the influence of seasonal changes on biofilter performance for removal of water quality parameters of interest such as total organic carbon and manganese. As many utilities consider the use of biofiltration, we need to understand how to optimize this treatment during the acclimation phase to ensure regulatory compliance and also to meet internal targets set by utilities. Scuba diving with her sister in the south Pacific Ocean. Victoria (far right) and ski friends at the top of a mountain in Wyoming. The findings of this research highlight the use of a sustainable water treatment solution that can help address an array of contaminants but could also act as a buffer for other emerging contaminants in the future. As we learn more about the health effects of various contaminants, drinking water regulations becoming stricter (e.g., California proposed revisions to notification and response levels for manganese in drinking water) and utilities proactively pursue lower targets in their finished water. Effective treatment processes need to be in place. I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, drinking well water. While I had very little knowledge of water treatment, the progression of my childhood and career naturally influenced my drinking water research. Private wells are not regulated by EPA; thus, homeowners are responsible for maintaining their wells and quality of their drinking water. Understanding how my parents were responsible for maintaining their own mini-distribution system at home led me to want to better understand how other people receive their drinking water and how to have treatment processes in place to ensure it is safe and clean. I love traveling and enjoying the outdoors like many of my colleagues in the drinking water and environmental engineering industry. I've been an avid skier since I was five years old and annually travel with 30-plus friends to the Teton Mountains for the best skiing in the United States. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I enjoy scuba diving and taking underwater photos; swimming with a whale shark is on my bucket list! I am also a dog lover, and while I don't have my own dog, I am an aunt to many and thoroughly spoil them when I visit friends and family. To learn more about Victoria's research, visit the article, available online at https://doi.org/10.1002/aws2.1225.